Breastplate (body armour): HEN.M.22C-1933

Maker(s)

Production: Unknown (Probably)

Entities

• Breastplate (body armour)

Categories

• Armour

Description

A breastplate, for a pikeman, decorated with embossed and engraved bands and chevrons. The breastplate is of late 'peascod' fashion with a deep flange at the waist, forming an integral skirt. Riveted at each side of the chest is a pierced stud and a swivel-hook that serve to engage and secure the shoulder-straps of the backplate. The proximal end of the swivel-hook is formed and decorated as a thistle. The rivets that secure the swivel-hooks pass through underlying, pierced quatrefoil washers of iron. A pair of rivets at each side of the breastplate probably served to attach a hasp that engaged a pierced stud riveted at each side of the backplate. The upper rivet now retains a modern swivel-hook that engages the stud. Riveted at each side of the skirt are a pair of pierced rectangular studs that serve to attach the tassets. The outer studs are replaced. The right one passes through a modern rectangular washer. The lower edge of the skirt is pierced at each side with a widely separated pair of construction-holes.
The main edges of all parts of the armour have plain inward turns. The armour is decorated throughout with multiple bands and borders of 'terraced' form that project inwards at intervals as chevrons. The bands are emphasised by single and pairs of incised lines. The armour is decorated throughout with borders and lines of brass-capped rivets, most of which serve as lining-rivets. Part of the pikeman's armour HEN.M.22A-E-1933.

Notes

History note: From Brancepeth Castle, Northumberland. Mr James Stewart Henderson of 'Abbotsford', Downs Road, St Helen's Park, Hastings, Sussex.

Legal notes

J.S. Henderson Bequest

Place(s) associated

• London

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1933-03-16) by Henderson, James Stewart

Dating

17th Century, Early#
Production date: AD 1630

Note

England; probably Greenwich

The armour is heavily pitted and patinated overall. It may originally have been either bright or blued.

This breastplate was made at the workshop founded by Henry VIII in Greenwich in 1525 when he recruited armourers from the Continent. For much of the 16th century this workshop produced high quality and very distinctive armour for the Tudor court and nobility. In the 17th century the Greenwich armourers were still making armour like this for the top end of the market. This breastplate has tassets, the plates to protect the thighs, and helmet, called a pot, which is missing its cheekpieces which protected the sides of the face. This type of armour was worn by pikemen, foot soldiers who fought in together in formation, armed with a 16 foot (4 m) long wooden pike with a steel head.